Grapple.



J. [i1 (AUSSlRAN.

BHrrLf..

unwnul mn: :n.t. lm.

Talented Bop'. l2. 10H.

I DIIIII Illlf I4 To all 101mm 'il may concern.-

, a grapple which is capable ol handling large y loads, uui \l be used to grip the object or as n i, sling, and is positive iii its action and easily :l manipulated to release the load. With the abore. and other objects in View if. as will ii ipcar` the invention consists in ceri tain com iinations anti arrangements of the parts hereinafter described1 and the norel features thereof will be particularly pointed .p lspending parts.

Serial No. 611,014.

B eil known that. I. .li-Liza It. (taiwanais. n Cil-M0 0f ille Ullllt'iil Sintes, residing nl ltaldwiii, in the parish of St. Mary and State ot' louisiana, hare invented certain new and useful lmproveiiients in tirapples; and l do hereby declare the following to be l a t'iill, clear, and exact. description of. the invention, such as will enable others skilled 1 in tho artI to which it appcrtnins to make and use the same.

'l'his invention l'elates to "rapples and is l designed especially" for hoisting purposes. i

'lliel object of this invention is tu provide 1 out in the appended claims.

For a clear understanding of the inreni tion, reference will bo had to the iiccoinl 4 pauying drawings illustrating the preferred 2 embodiment thereof, and in which drawings like characters of reference indicate corre ,Figure 1 is a perspective view of a grapple in closed position constructed in accordance i L with my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical ccng tral section of Fig. 1, except. that the gripping members are in open position. Fig. is a similar view taken between the last two i pairs of gripping n1eiiibers, and Fig. 4 is a i partial detail perspective view of the latch and latcli-bar. .t

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the main shaft. on which are pi'votalli' l mounted a plurality of oppositely disposed grip iing members arranged in pairs which are held in spaced relation by sleeves 2 ou said shaft. the two central gripping iiicliibers on one side of the main shaft being preferahlil outside of the two central gripping"ri members on the other side of the sha ft. 'lhe gripping members consist. of arms 3 and 4 l t'orniiug substantially right. angular bell-i cranks and the latter arms carrv tapering `:downiiardli' und inwardl t curved lingers or prongs :i suitably strengthened b i diagonal braces o and terminating iii points for biting i into the object to be carried. or the lingers may parte under the load. .laasing through the lingers 5 of thelgripping iueiuliersair.

preferably near the juncture of the braces t',

is n rod 7 on which are separating sleeves 8, and passing also acts iis n stop for the arms 3. i

'liie grinning members ii re caused to exert iigrippiiig action b v the following mechanisme-A pair of voltea 10 and 11. one of which straddles und crosses the other` are each formed of bars pirotally connected to the arms 4 of the two centrnl gripping inembers at opposite sides of the inain shalt l.

shcave 13 under which sheaves passes a cable 14 or supporting the grapple. 'l`lie hitch L? is provided with an angular end 1.'.

remain normally in open position.

Secured to the upper ends of the arms :l of 4 the corresponding gripping members is a cross har 1T. which carries on its outer fare and said eige is adapted to be engaged b i' the angular cud 15 of the lati-,h 1'2. guide 1S is preferably recessed as at. 20 in oi'dcr to allow the use of a narrower latrhg bai'. Each latch is operated b r means ot' a forked lever 2l which is pirotally connected toeacli of the bars 17 between tlie last two gripping members, and having pivotally connected toits projecting arms a hook 2i atf;

taclied to nn eye at. the free cud of the lait-Iibai 19. The levers 21 cross each other abort the main shaft. and the free end ot' each is slidingly supported on a bar '23 fastened to the braces t of said gripping members. lhr latch-hars 1t) are normally held in locking position hiv means of a spring '311 connected -1 to the inside lever 21 and the arm :l ot' the outer gripping member. To the end of the outside lever 21 is connected a rope '25 or other flexible member which passes through the space between the braces ('i and the tingers 5 of the intermediate gripping members and through an aperture inthe last gri ping member, by means of which rope the. atelibnrs are withdrawn and the latches' released.

It is ap iarent from the foregoing that it the grapp e, with `the gripping members in open position, is lowered onto a load tu la iearried, that. aa the cable is sliu'lcened the yoltes will rotate on their pivots. the sheaves through the corners ofthe ingers 5 and arms t is a bracing rod tl which and between the converging end portions ot"` the bars of each .rolia is pivoted an out wardly disposed hitch l. and is mounted alluring iiii inclined lower edge lt to form a i guide fui' the hitch. 'l`lie gripping membersV are balanced on the inain shaft. and as they are supported by the relies as dweribed. they The r are widely separated, and the latches will engage the latch-bars. AS the load is boisted, the sheaves are brought toward eaeh other and the gripping.: memberI at. the opposite aides of the |uu`in shaft rotate thereon to grip the load, which may be released by pullingr on the rope to disengage the latches.

Although the elements srtt'orth and dej scribed are well adapted to accomplish the purposes for which thev are intended. it is to he understood thatslight. changes in the i form, proportion and minor details ot' con struction lnav be resorted to wiglmnt sacrillieinf.' any of the advantages or departing from the spirit ,nf the invention.

Haring fully described my invention, what l eluitn ist l. ln a grapple the eolubiimttnnof a plurality ot opposuely disposed gripping memlar.- piroted on a .-'l|aft,a cross-lan'eonuecting the grippingmembers ou the same side. ofthe fhafl, together, a yokel pirotnlly connected to phtcent ral pair of gri ping members ou 'Leach side of the shaft, a atcb-bar earrled ln' each crossdmr, and a latch carried by cart t, yoke for engaging: the latch-bar for eansin" the gripping members to close when a pal im: sttain is exerted on the yokest, substantially as' described.

lu a grapple the combination of a plu- ,ralitr of oppnsitely disposed bell-cranks pirotally mounted on a shaft, inwardly carved lingers carried by tha bell-cranks for vengaging a load to be carried, a cross bar -conueeting the. free arms of the bell-cranksv on the. same side. of the shaft, a yoke irot allyconnected to the central pair o belleranks on cach side of the shafty and crossl l l l l ing.' each other, means carried by the free ends of the yokes for operating the belleranks to canse the tingersto grip the load, and means for causing the grip wing members to release tbe load, substantially as de.- Stttii mtl.

fi. Tn a grapple the cmnhination of a plurality of nppoaitely disposed bcllzcraukn y pirotally monnted on a shaft. inwardly g carved fingers carried by the bell-cranks. a :cross bar connecting the free arms of the bell-cranks on the same side of the 'shafh a slidably mounted latch-bar carried by each cross bar, a yoke pivotally connected to the central pair of Igrip )ing members on each sida ot' the shaft aat crossing each other, a lateh iroted to eaeh yoke for engaging each talebmr, a sheare carried by the t'ree. end of each yoke, and means for withdrawingi the latclehars, to release the load, aubstantlally l j as described.

4. l'n a grapple the. combination of a plurality of oppomtely disposed bell-cranks pivotally mounted in pairs on a shaft, inwardlyl 'curved fingers carried by the bell-cranks, a

cross bar cannet-.ting thetree arms of the! ally mounted at the upper end of each yoke,

liell'lcranks onthe same Side of'thc shaft., a slidahly mounted latch-bar carried by each cross bar, a yoke pivotally connected to the central pair of bell-cranks on each side of the. shaft, a latch pivotally connected to the free end of each yoke for engaging the lateral edge of each latch-bar, a. shea'vc pivota lever votally connected to each cross bar, means or connecting the upper end of each lever to n latch-bar, means for holding the latch-bnrs in closed position, and means for operating the levers to withdraw the latchbars to release, the latches, substantially as described.

5. In a grapple the combination of a plurality of oppositely disposed bell cranks pirotally mounted in fairs nu a shaft, spael mg sleeves on the. shalt between the pairl nfl lutti-cranica, inwardly curved lingers carried i by the l'ell-erauka` a rod connect-iu;` the tln 'fers on the. salue side of the. shaft. a cross un connecting,r the free. arms ot' the bellcranks on the salue aide ot the shaft. a guide ably mounted in each guide. a yoke pirott i carried by each cross` bar. a latch-bar sluti ally connected to the central pair ot bellcranks on each side of the shaft. a latch pivotally connected near tbe free ends ot eachI yoke, a sheave rotatably mounted at the end f, of cach yoke, a fot'lt'cd lever pirntally mount ed on each cross bar, means for connecting the projecting arms of each lever to a tau-ln bar, means for slidably supporting the free end of cach lever, a spring connecting oneA lever to an ad'acent bella-.vanti for holding] the latch-bars tu closed position. and means s for oieratingtr the levers to withdraw the latchar for relcatlsing,r the latches, snbstaw i tially as described, i In testimonv whereof, I allix my signature, i in presence o two witnesses. 2 l

4JULES B. GAUSSIRA N.

. Witnesses:

C. J. Boa'rsen, W. C. Balma. 

